"The Scarlet Letter"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how Hawthorne intertwines the values of Puritan communities and human nature with such efficiency that "The Scarlet Letter" has become an American classic criticizing our Puritan ancestors. It contends that the setting of Hawthorne's classic is important because it sets the foundation for how the Puritan people react to the main character's sin and that Hawthorne uses the setting as a way to give the reader a sense of severity in the community of "The Scarlet Letter".

From the Paper:

"It is clear that Hawthorne disapproved of the Puritan's lifestyles. "The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project..." (Hawthorne 47). This statement alone sets the book up for a grim and dismal mood. Hawthorne also adds s sense of irony by having the people who want to purify the church immediately build a prison. This goes to show that the Puritans were not actually too pure. The prison becomes a large part of the plot symbolizing sin and consequence. The rosebush in front of the prison runs parallel to The Scarlet Letter in resembling hope in a bleak place. Another mentioning in the beginning of the book is the cemetery. This introduction to a book undoubtedly shows the reader that the book will not be a happy one. "

More papers on "The Scarlet Letter":

• Analytical Essay # 142408 : "Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter"
• Analytical Essay # 124563 : "Characters in "The Scarlet Letter"
• Analytical Essay # 124489 : "Perspectives on "The Scarlet Letter"
• Analytical Essay # 120733 : "Adultery in "The Scarlet Letter"

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